Home/Species/ Nodding Saxifrage

Saxifraga cernua

Nodding Saxifrage

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

LowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145946

Element CodePDSAX0U0B0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRosales

FamilySaxifragaceae

GenusSaxifraga

Other Common Names

nodding saxifrage (EN) Saxifrage penchée (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2024-09-09

Change Date2010-06-07

Edition Date2024-09-09

Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2024)

Threat ImpactLow

Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences> 300

Rank Reasons

Saxifraga cernua is a perennial herb that grows in the boreal, arctic, and alpine zones of North America and Eurasia. With a broad distribution, more than 1,000 occurrences, and few threats, this species is considered secure.

Range Extent Comments

Saxifraga cernua is widely distributed throughout the higher latitudes and alpine regions of the northern hemisphere. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).

Occurrences Comments

Based on herbarium records and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, there are more than 1,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).

Threat Impact Comments

Due to the relatively remote location of many occurrences, there is little threat from development. Coastal populations may be affected by sea level rise and coastal erosion. A few occurrences may fall within mineral and oil extraction areas. Introduced, exotic mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) affect a few populations.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Yellow mountain saxifrage grows in a mat of fleshy green stems with many, short, narrow, fleshy leaves growing from the bottom to the top of the stems. The edges of the leaves have scattered stiff hairs. The half inch wide flowers arise in branched clusters at the tops of the stems and are composed of five, narrow, bright yellow petals alternating with light green, slightly shorter sepals that are overlaid with the bright yellow filaments of the stamens. The yellow-green ovaries are topped by two separate styles. The sepals are persistent around the sides of the beaked capsules.

Habitat

Saxifraga cernua is found in cool, wet habitats like mossy banks, late snowbeds, tundra, and shady rock faces, at elevations ranging from 0 to 4,300 meters (FNA 2009).

Terrestrial Habitats

AlpineTundraBare rock/talus/scree

Palustrine Habitats

Riparian

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
Manitoba	S1	Yes
Nova Scotia	S1	Yes
Ontario	SH	Yes
British Columbia	S5	Yes
Nunavut	S5	Yes
Alberta	S3	Yes
Quebec	S4	Yes
Labrador	S4	Yes
Northwest Territories	SNR	Yes
Yukon Territory	S4	Yes

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Utah	S2	Yes
Wyoming	S3	Yes
South Dakota	S1	Yes
New Mexico	S2	Yes
Montana	S3	Yes
New Hampshire	S1	Yes
Colorado	S3	Yes
Alaska	SNR	Yes
Nevada	SNR	Yes
Idaho	S2	Yes
Washington	S1	Yes
Minnesota	S1	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
1 - Residential & commercial development	Small (1-10%)	Slight or 1-10% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
3 - Energy production & mining	Small (1-10%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Negligible (<1%)	Serious - moderate	High (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Negligible (<1%)	Serious - moderate	High (continuing)
8.1.2 - Named species	Negligible (<1%)	Serious - moderate	High (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weather	Small (1-10%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alteration	Small (1-10%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (3)

Alaska (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
College Fiord	Chugach National Forest	1,130,818

New Mexico (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Pecos	Carson National Forest	13,436
Pecos WS River	Santa Fe National Forest	5,396

References (5)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).

Saxifraga cernua

Description

Habitat

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